


In Loco Parentis

by Nosferatank



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Blood and Gore, Gen, Kitsune Shigure, Outrealms, P much just shigure growing up, lame attempts to justify the outrealm bullshit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-17
Updated: 2017-03-23
Packaged: 2018-10-06 09:27:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10331552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nosferatank/pseuds/Nosferatank
Summary: Azura's half-breed child was summarily unsafe in the war of the courts. Thus, she sent him to live in one of the vassal-nations, where life was simple and far from harm.It was not safe.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Forgive me padre for i have made azura a furry. the fact that she obfuscates and lets Shay make up her own (incorrect) assumptions of why there were assassins out for Shigure’s blood makes up for it. she's a smart cookie. cunning, to survive both the nohr and hoshido court. She's a sneaky little shit when it comes to hiding anything related to Valla.
> 
> Right, as much as i hate the babyrealms, they gave birth to shigure’s unnamed friend (who me and Tori christened Gareth) so i got deal with their existence. So, i’m going to try to explain how the hell they work.
> 
> The deeprealms are little bubbles of the world that were rent from the “parent realm” during the Dragon Wars. The pocket dimensions owe allegiance to whatever country they were a part of in the parent realm before they were separated. It’s mostly a formality though: the only way to get through to them is via Anna (for a positively exorbitant fee) or be a dragon. So the deep realms are largely self sufficient. The only reason the time dilation exists is mostly due to the transit between Dragon’s Gates: they don’t align perfectly, so there is some time lost on one end.

Shay’s day started fairly normally: She rose with the sun, same as her husband. After she made breakfast (it was her turn today), she pecked Eldrid goodbye before he tromped to his forge in the village square. She would check on little Gareth, then release and feed and clean all the animals before returning home for lunch.

On her way home, however, Shay saw something odd by the front door of her home. Three figures, one in stark white, conversing amongst themselves by her home. As she strode closer, the villager could see more telling details: one of them: a young man with silver hair, wore the armor of a Nohrian cavalier and held the reins of an equally-armored horse with a spear slung across the pommel of its saddle. A fairly short young lady with a full quiver strapped to her side fidgeted with her unstrung bow, freckled face scrunched up with the concentration of her mindless task. 

The last person, however, was far more telling of their position. A woman with long, watery hair stood glacier-still and tall, her finely woven layers of blue and white fluttering in the breeze, holding a fabric bundle in her arms. 

Shay brushed her hair out of her face as she hesitantly approached the presumed nobility parked in front of her door. The young knight noticed her approach first, presenting her with a short bow before asking “Is this the residence of Shay and Eldrid?”

Shay responded “Yes, we do happen to live here”. 

Steeling her nerves, she queried “If you are all here on some sort of business, perhaps we could take it inside?”

No need to keep a noble of unknown temperament waiting out any longer than necessary.

The woman in white simply nodded and strode through the door Shay was holding open. Her retainers followed, the archer girl toeing off her boots while the young cavalier sheepishly tried to knock all of the dirt off his shoes before entering. 

As Shay closed the door, she turned to see the noble lady had sat herself at the roughly-carved table, still holding her bundle close the her chest. The lady gestured simply, clearly expecting Shay to sit for the discussion.

She sat.

Sitting stiff and rigid in the well-worn chair, Shay simmered for a moment before blurting out “So. um. You wished to speak with me, My Lady…?”. She trailed off, realizing she was unsure of her guests’ names.

“Azura.” The woman stated, looking marginally more emotive as she said “And you indeed guessed correctly on my station. But please, just call me Azura. There is no need for titles here.”

“No need to mince words, then. Myself and my family have been searching for a Deeprealm isolated enough to hide a child. A place far from the reach of assassins.”

“A… child?” Shay trailed, before her eyes lit upon the wrappings Lady Azura kept close, sudden comprehension rising from the farmer woman’s gut.

Azura continued without a care. “We heard from your merchant while touring the Deeprealms that you were looking to adopt another child, since you could have no more. Though it came with a landslide of unnecessary information,” At this she raised one delicate eyebrow, likely referring to the mouthy nature of the merchant, “It was precisely what we were looking for.”

Feeling the pause, Shay took in the breath she needed and blurted out “Assassins, though? So long as the father was strong, surely the Nohrian Court would find no reason to kill a child.”

Wryly, Azura replied “This would be true, however it is not a case of the father’s strength, but of his country”.

She pushed the blanket aside from her sleeping child’s face, showing the ears.

“Kitsune.” Shay breathed. The beastfolk were nearly unheard of in this Deeprealm: the only sign she’d seen that they existed was a rather wealthy merchant traveling with a pelt on display in his cart.

“It’s not uncommon for some garou to marry into a high-ranked family, but they are clearly Nohrian. Shigure’s father was very much Hoshidan.”

“I… think I understand why you sought out a Deeprealm.”

“So are you willing to take him in?”

“Although I don’t appreciate the merchant spreading about my personal information, I will admit she wasn’t wrong. So yes, I’ll take him in.”

“Also,” she paused. “I think we should bring my husband in to tell him. He does, in fact, share the house.”

“Certainly” Azura acquiesced, before turning to her retainer. “Mozu, if you would?”

“Of course!” The archer said, seeming happy to do something besides sit and fidget while they talked. Mozu turned to the people sitting at the table after she reached the door, nervously addressing the owner of the home.

“Um, where does your husband work again?”

Inwardly, Shay smacked herself mentally for almost sending the girl off on her own with no directions. She instructed, curt and business-like, that “The blacksmith’s shop is at the eastern side of the village square. Ask for Eldrid. If he tries to make up excuses, tell him I sent you.”

“Yes ma’am!” the young retainer snapped in a sloppy but rather adorable salute before running out of the door.

The fond smile on the otherwise stoic lady’s face faded as her retainer left, and Azura promptly returned to the basics of the matter at hand.

“So, Miss Shay, do you have any questions?”

Shay rifled through her brain for pertinent questions regarding the child, and remembered she never asked for the child’s name.

“Well, what is the boy’s name? And is there anything… special I need to do to raise a fox?”

Azura thought for a moment. “Kitsune generally eat what humans eat, but don’t be surprised if he brings back fish or animals he caught once he gets older. I would also recommend you keep ahold of his beaststone until he’s old enough to take care of it himself.” she instructed, pulling out a lumpy purple-hued rock and setting it on the table.

Shay nodded, filing away the information as swiftly as she was able. Azura looked down at her son warmly, and continued “As for his name, it is Shigure.”

From the sound of that name, Shay found it obvious who named the boy.

Well, it wasn’t like most of the people cared for nationalities in this Outrealm. They were so isolated and self-sufficient there was no need for it. 

A number of awkwardly silent moments followed while they waited for Mozu to return with Eldrid. When the two did finally did cross the front door’s threshold, Eldrid immediately stepped to Shay’s side, whispering “Is what she said true?”

When Shay nodded in affirmation her husband’s eyes gained a gleam of giddiness, and he peered across the table to where Shigure was held by Azura. He inhaled. “My Lady, if what your retainer said is true, then you will truly allow us to raise your child?”

“Yes, though expect visits from myself or his other family occasionally.” Azura paused for a moment, mapping out her options. “My apologies, but we must take our leave now. I will leave you an adequate sum of gold to send a person though Anna’s services in case of an emergency.”

Without pause, she smoothed her son’s ears back and kissed his forehead; tender, for all her chill eyes. Eldrid’s proffered arms were then laden with the young fox, and the lady and her retainers took their leave. Shay wondered when they would return.

The farmer looked back to her husband, who was wholly captivated by the boy in his arms. 

“Hey,” she prodded “I hope you don’t mind building another bassinet.”

By the muttered “Yes, yes of course”, it seemed he wouldn’t mind at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Gareth is Shigure’s unnamed deceased friend from his paralogue. But seriously, I hate the Babyrealms and it vexes me that i needed to use them to make this work conceivably in canon.  
> Also the excerpts from Shigure's childhood were my absolute favorite to write

Shay was working on replacing the table legs, which had become unstable due to the unfortunate fate of being a favorite teething toy of a young kitsune, when the happy yells and yips coming from the front room became too much.

She whistled sharply, a sound both seven year olds knew to respect. 

“Boys! Out!” She hollered over the table.

“Aw, but Ma! It’s cold out!”

“No buts! Out, out, out!”

As they passed her on their way out the door, Gareth nearly strangled himself trying to get his scarf wrapped around him properly. Shigure, blue hair mussed and wild, yanked it off his head and re-wrapped it.

“You’re just jealous because you don’t have a fur coat.” Her foster child said, mouth full of sharp teeth bared in a grin. Gareth, with a lighthearted smirk on his face, wordlessly flung the smaller boy into the newest snowbank before following out himself. As Shay shut the door, she saw a fox kit the size of a deer erupt from the drift, pinning Gareth while the human shouted “No fair!”

Sweet Mother of Dusk, as much as Shay loved her children, they could get in the way so easily. Dejectedly, she wiggled the gnawed and splintered wood before sighing and continuing to pry the leg from the table. 

After yanking the last leg from the table surface, the farmer finally nailed in the last (slightly crooked) nail in. Grunting, she hefted the table right side up. However, while shoving it back into its proper place, Shay was interrupted by a cry from Shigure, calling “Ma, visitors!”

Shay, for all her years of raising the boy, felt a light flush of happiness at her title. Previously, she had tried to stop Shigure from copying Gareth’s name for her, mindful of his lady mother. Of course, the kit managed to have it both ways: while referring to Lady Azura as ‘Mother’ Shigure still called Shay ‘Ma’.

Still, she was surprised at the appearance of guests. The last visitor she had hosted was Shigure’s father, who had taken his young son into the nearby fields to teach him… something. Something foxy, anyways. Shay recalled, with trepidation, the sight of a fully-grown fox spirit: A creature bigger than the average wyvern, with branching tails and flickering blue flames of magical resistance. 

Shay opened the door to the sight of Lady Azura and Lady Corrin catching up with their family, Gareth sticking by Shigure despite how…unsettling his aunt could be. Satisfied, she shut the door to ward off the chill. 

———

When Shigure turned eleven he started bringing home meat. Now the size of a pony, catching deer was not out of the question. Eldrid had told her how, after a particularly late night at the forge, he had come across Shigure sneaking out into the fields. Her husband told her privately, after presenting her with a contrite fox with ears pinned back in guilt, that seeing the eyeshine reflected from his lantern and the faint blue glow of developing foxfire had nearly shocked his heart to a standstill. 

Still, they had gotten used to his eccentricities. Shay had adjusted to the sight of her foster child settled on his haunches and eating his kill, although when he padded in wearing his human skin again she had to pester him to rinse the blood off his teeth. Gareth even started trying to help him, improving his skill with the bow. 

As Shay pestered her eldest to let the chickens out, she snorted in amusement as Shigure breezed by and mussed his slicked down hair, drawing an annoyed yell from Gareth. It truly was only Gareth who Shigure could be so open and silly with, and Shay was glad for it, despite Gareth’s mutters about his traitorous not-brother. 

Of course they made up quickly: just before dinner Eldrid scolded both of them for breaking a branch in an attempt to reach a bird’s nest. Gareth had landed solidly on top of Shigure, and seemed to consider acting as a landing cushion to be acceptable penance for de-tidying his hair. 

———

When both her boys were thirteen, Shay returned from the barns one day to see Shigure and Gareth huddled in a corner, Gareth wedged in front of Shigure and the fox kit with his tail curled tightly around his legs, looking far more scared than any child ought to be. 

When she asked them what happened, a small amount of panic seeping into her voice, Gareth explained. They had been on their way back from visiting Eldrid at the forge when they stopped by a outrealm merchant cart there to pick up wares. While snooping, Shigure had come across a fully skinned and tanned kitsune pelt and was understandably terrified beyond reason. 

Shay hated to do it, but she explained how some Hoshidans hunted their native beastkin. People were immoral and greedy when it came to gold, after all.

“You are safe here, but should you ever go to the root realms, take care to avoid Hoshidan lands. Nohr does not hunt their Garou, so you should be safer there.”

Both of them were quiet during dinner, something that Shay let them get away with for now. When they left to go out, the farmer softly explained what happened to her husband.

Later at night, Shay was entirely unsurprised to see Shigure standing by their bed, a little shamefaced. Though he or Gareth hadn’t done this since they were eight, she opened her quilt and let the boy burrow in. Ruefully, Shay took note of Shigure stealing her spot by her human heater. 

When she awoke from a furred ear twitching under her nose, she noted that sometime after she had closed her eyes, Gareth had managed to sneak into the bed without anyone noticing, wedged between Shigure and Eldrid, nose buried in and drooling on his not-brother’s tail. 

Shay decided to let herself sleep in a bit, for once.

———

Gareth was seventeen, and the world was on fire.

He trudged over the ridge to the village, string laden with hunted birds, when he caught site of the smoke- too much to be a small house fire or forge smoke.

He dropped his kills and ran home.

Lungs heavy and hot, he came upon his home; thankfully only a small corner had gone up in flames. Gareth slung the door open and flashed through all four of the rooms in their tiny home, distressed to find all of the other inhabitants missing.

Gareth fled to the center square, and there was chaos. 

Fire completely consumed the stalls and shops, and he saw glowing purple assailants fading in and out of sight, killing anyone they saw. Gareth approached his father’s forge immediately, and from a distance witnessed Shigure clawing at the back of a griffon, appearing to float in midair as the foreign creature flickered out of visibility. Gareth had just finished hastily stringing his bow when the griffon bucked his foster brother off its back and clawed down his face and back.

Gareth let loose his arrow in a panic, the projectile striking the creature through the wing as opposed to the heart he had aimed for. While it was distracted, he caught sight of Eldrid swinging a smithing hammer down on the griffon’s skull as Gareth ran toward Shigure. 

Eldrid noticed him. “Get outta here! Use the Dragon’s Gate!” He shouted over the screams and crackling flames.

Seeing his son’s dismayed face, Eldrid rasped through the smoke “Don’t worry, we’ll be right behind you!”

Gareth, in the heat of the moment, accepted that his parents were tough enough to fight. Thus, he hauled Shigure’s now-human arm over his shoulder and half dragged his semiconscious friend to the stables.

There, he yanked a halter on a rich man’s pegasus, not particularly caring about stealing at this point. Forgoing a saddle, Gareth pushed the bleeding Shigure onto the animal before mounting himself, taking off gracelessly from the barn entrance. 

During the short journey to the Dragon’s Gate, hands trembling, Gareth worried for his foster brother’s condition, feeling the blood from his back seep into his shirt. He didn’t even want to to think about his face.

As they approached the gate, Gareth landed and shouted at the Anna attending it, hunched with grey shot through her red hair.

“Open the gate! We need to get out _now!_ ”

She cocked a steely eyebrow at his demand. “Not without your transportation fee, honey.”

He gripped the pegasus’s barrel tighter with his legs. “Please, we need to get though, his mother can help us, she has healers.”

“And what is his mother’s name, pray tell?”

“Azura.” he exhaled “Please, please let us through.”

The old Anna’s eyes widened in recognition. “No need to beg, boy: the princess prepaid enough for four people to make a trip. Go ahead.”

She placed her hand on the gate, and with a vibrating thrum it opened.

“Hang on tight.” She said, solemnly, as Gareth kneed the pegasus through the portal and-

Tumbled through the sky, nothing but open ocean visible to him for miles. 

Thankfully the pegasus proved far more competent than Gareth in the air: it took little time to right itself as the boy on its back clung to his foster brother. Below, Gareth saw something horrifying: Two ships, manned by flickers of red and purple, loitering by the Gate’s apparent exit.

 _They were waiting for survivors_. he realized, horrified.

Gareth, to the best of his ability, wheeled the pegasus around and fled from the ships and their ghostly crew, praying to the Twelve Ancients that there was land of friendly ships ahead. Landing in the water would mean death for both of them, either by sea or arrow.

After a number of hours, as the pegasus began to heave and falter, Gareth spotted a ship, and seized the opportunity to land. As they landed, he tipped himself and a certainly-unconscious Shigure off of the animal as it collapsed. He looked up, and his eyes were met with the point of a bronzed blade.

“Lady Corrin?” he wheezed in surprise.

Her face relaxed in recognition as she saw who he was, then panic as she caught sight of Shigure’s condition. 

“Someone get Sakura and Elise! Now!” the princess barked, then hollered over at the other side of the ship for Azura to come, her son was here and he was injured.

Shortly, Lady Azura appeared, hair and skirts whipping in the wind, spear in hand. She gasped and started to peel Gareth off of Shigure, blood from his back tacky and like glue. Gareth did his best to aid her, wincing at the crusted red-brown from his friend’s back. Azura gently brushed the tiny chunks of eyeball out of her son’s hair, wet eyes hardening in a wrath that made Gareth’s hindbrain shiver in terror.

Three people ran up, then: two girls and a young woman in knight’s armor. The knight carefully picked up Shigure and carried him to a cabin, the stave-wielding girls following. 

Gareth sat, numbly, for a while before Lady Corrin nudged him with an armored knee.

“Are those the ones that attacked your village, there?” She asked.

Gareth’s head shot up. “Oh no.” he breathed, seeing how close they were.

He turned to Lady Corrin to see that she had already left, instructing her apparent small army of the threat. As the two ships attempted to flank them, Lady Corrin, to Gareth’s shock, took a running leap and launched herself off the deck, growing large and scaly and clawed before hitting the water with a tremendous splash.

Sweet Mother Gudrun, Shigure’s aunt was a dragon.

Gareth’s head instinctively turned at the bellow to “Make way!” as Lady Azura stepped on the other side. Gareth noticed a wisp of blue steam curling from the deck and wondered at what it was when Shigure’s birth mother stepped on it and raised her spear, a geyser of seawater beneath the enemy ship raising with it.

He managed to sputter out a “What was…?” before a crew member answered him, startling Gareth with his presence.

“That’s the Dragon’s Vein, lad. Never thought I’d see it with my own eyes. Granted, most don’t want to: royalty is dangerous, after all.”

Royalty. Alright then. 

Gareth opted to tuck that away for later contemplation and decided to stick to his foster brother. As he ran to the cabin where Shigure was being healed, he saw the other ship going down, slowly, and the horned visage erupt out of the water beside it, antlers and claws covered in splinters from the gutted ship.

Gareth turned away, and entered the cabin, closing the door softly behind him. It appeared that the healers had finished, as they were absent and his friend was fully bandaged on his back and face. Gareth finally felt his trembling knees collapse beneath him as he firmly planted himself in a nearby chair. He was exhausted. Too much had happened and it hurt to think about. 

Gareth’s head fell onto his injured not-brother’s bed, eyes closing as he fell into restless and dreamless slumber.

Come morning light, Shigure would wake, and he and Gareth would mourn their family. But eventually, far in the future, they would find a new one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to write a big ol’ fight scene so. pants-shittingly terrifying dragon’s veins are the way to go. Gareth was named by Tori, and in case y’all want to know his promotion path is villager>archer>kinshi knight. 
> 
> I know the ending was a tad awkward, but i needed a place to end it. Regardless, its going to take a long time for those boys to recover: both physically and emotionally. 
> 
> Don't forget to comment!

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, Gareth is Shigure’s unnamed deceased friend from his paralogue. But seriously, I hate the Babyrealms and it vexes me that i needed to use them to make this work conceivably in canon.


End file.
